Want What You Can't Have
by Heartbeats In Sync
Summary: AU. Zutara. Katara has been raised in the Fire Nation, as a girl, she attended a Fire Nation etiquette school to teach her structure and Poise. Now as a woman, she is working in the Royal Palace as a maid to Fire Lord Zuko, and his bride to be, Mai. What happens when feelings start to ignite between a peasant and a royal? Can they stop themselves? Or is it destiny?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I have never written an ATLA fanfic, but I was OBSESSED with the show when I was younger! Zutara for life, of course.**

**This is AU. I didn't know how to begin necessarily so I wrote the scene that came to mind envisioning this.**

**Characters may be OOC and I apologize.**

**Leave a review if you want me to continue**

1.

His lips descend her neck, gasping heavily, arousal swimming in her brain, erratic thoughts pile into overdrive as his teeth graze her pulse. Hands roam exposed flesh, fingers tease and taunt her skin. She wants to scream at how wrong this is, slap him away, but pleasure is too strong for her to deny his touch. Kiss, anything. Her back is against his bedchamber door, the sea of red and gold slip into her vision, his body slammed against her in passion, his hand is wrapped around her waist, the other combing her locks.

"You don't know what you're doing, Zuko." she needs to knock him back, make him see he's wrong. She isn't Mai or the next Fire Lady, just a poor peasent from the Tribe, trying to make ends meet for her family back home. "We must stop this!" his hand cradles her chin, rough yet soft, lusted gazes lock, rich honey and sapphire.

"I don't know what I'm doing?" his voice questions as he's pulling the maid against him, hip to hip, chest to chest.

"Your fiance."

"Katara, stop it!" he hisses and turns away. His hands clench in his hair, honey eyes shut tight as he's trying not to seethe the heat that's radiating inside him.

"She loves you. Zuko, it's her. It will always be Mai."

"I don't love her." he fights, he looks honest, although she can't tell if he's a liar anyway.

"Nor you me." she remarks. Stilling his gaze. "I am not a whore." she's cold.

"Katara... no. you will never be a whore, you will never be such a lowly concubine as long as I have you."

Katara nods, his hands encircle her waist. They're nose to nose, his lips barely hitting hers.

"Don't leave me." he whispers, kissing her.

"Mai will be home soon. I am just someone below you, just a peasant girl." she leaves, missing the Fire Lord's penetrating gaze.

She can't fall in love with him.

She won't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two! I'm sorry if it sucks! I'm still trying to find the direction I want this story to go in! R&R**

2.

_-Katara POV-_

_ It's dusk, the air is warming to stifling temperatures even before the sun begins to peak over the horizon. Rich colors swirl along the sky, reds and oranges, midnight blue is at the peak. Every morning I watch the sunrise, even when I don't rise with it. I rise with the moon and always will. There is not a night I sleep to my bodies needs, the moon and the water call to me, screaming in my mind that this is my element. I am a waterbender, it isn't that hard to figure, I have the typical tan skin, blue eyes, and rich dark hair, like a roasted chestnut, at least that's what I've been told._

_ I don't remember much previous to the Fire Nation. All I can remember is being two and snatched out of mothers embrace from our cold hut. From then on, my beloved blue clothing was changed to blood red, I can say I am happy to waterbend, but as for fighting I'm not allowed to use bending. Although my teacher's methods aren't much use considering it's tranquil movements only. I train in quarters one on one with hired instructor NeuShu, a firebender with some water bending from living in the poles as a child, she was adopted and lived in our sister Tribe. She's smart, and praises me, commending me on a great skill level, yet when I wants to advance my knowledge it's simply out of the question._

_ "Your hands are strong and quick, my child, you must learn to not think of them as potential weapons despite what you are told." she repeated to me many time before_

_ Outside of bending practice, the maid's quarters is where I resides and work hard with the other girls, we scrub the palace walls, royalty never looks upon us, we never look upon then either. I am a simple servant, nothing more in the eyes of the enemy. _

_ Malae. is like a mother hen to the younger servants such as myself. She protects us, and she is an earthbender, surprisingly enough, she could be a major threat, she just chose not to be. She's thirty, never married, and no children. Her dark hair is kept in a loose bun as her clothes are just a simple red tunic and black leggings, same as ours. She helps me with many trivial things, such as hair and washing techniques, you could say she's the mother I never had, but wish I did._

_ This begins my tale, of how I became a maid to the Firelord himself._

_ -End POV-_

"Katara, may I speak with you for a moment?" Malae glanced to the seventeen year old she looked to be her daughter. It was a rather calm day for the servants as the girls were free to roam the palace outside of the quarters. Katara smiled, fiddling with her braid, she sits up and Malae looks nervous.

"Whats the matter? Are you not well? Ill? Should I take over for tonight?"

"No, Katara, Lady Mai spoke to me this morning, she is looking for a private servant for Firelord Zuko and herself, the pay is nice, and a room out of the quarters is available."

"What does that have to do with me? Surely the other girls don't want it?"

"I want you to volunteer, if anything, you are the mature one in the group my dear." Malae smiles at her, but Katara doesn't smile back

"I have heard stories of the Firelord being unkind to the servants, why would I subject to that?"

"If you follow order, and instruction he won't do anything. He does not hit women. He is not Ozai."

"Would an interview be possible?"

"Yes. That is what he wants, Lady Mai would not be there. It's his call, not hers."

"Would I still be able to have freedom to bend?" her smile falters.

"His choice. I can try to schedule an interview today at some point if he is not at all busy. I will keep you posted." the girl smiles.

"Thank you. Malae."

**xxx**

it's sunset, Katara is by the pond, turtleducks quack, following the mother turtleduck with grace, rippling the waters edge as bread is being thrown to feed them, firelillies sweep with the light wind, and the waterbender extends her hand, lightly pulling water with her fingertips, dropping it back down when she feels someone watching her. No one is there, she decides to go back in the palace, unaware of the eyes scoping her like a hawk.

"I got you an interview. Tomorrow at noon," Malae whispers in the maid quarters, Katara slips in for dinner rush, adjusting her braid. The girls laughing, ignoring them both. She nods, smiling lightly. She's nervous. Butterflies swarm and she's worried, doubts of worth fill her mind. Zuko call's everything. Could it be possible he just said yes to degrade and belittle her? She isn't so sure.

The interview is all she thinks about.

She doesn't sleep that night.

The next day, noon arrives faster then Katara anticipated. Shoes click against the tiles to Zuko's office room. Her knocks vibrate through the silent halls as a gruff 'enter!' passes through his lips. The wooden door opens and she feels small, standing before him, fire flickers over his scarred yet handsome face. His jaw is angular, his eyes are a pool of liquid gold. Katara finds herself lost in his gaze, he smirks at her. It's not condescending. Blushing, she snaps to the present.

"Welcome back to the real world." he offers, blush deepening.

"Sorry, Firelord Zuko." she bows, her tiny fist at the edge of her palm.

"Ah, respectful. You don't see many waterbenders who know what it means."

"Yes sire, I was raised here. I was taken from my home at two years of age. A raid, Ozai thought we had betrayed him with our bending, so he wanted to take us all out. I was the last of my kind."

"I know. I saw you bending the pond water, Katara." he says her name, she shivers inwardly.

"You know my name." she whispers so lowly, Zuko almost didn't hear.

"Malae said it in her scheduling. You're movements very tranquil. I see you doing no harm. I just prefer you not bend the pond water next time. It could scare the turtleducks."

"Yes sir." Katara nods.

"You will be in the room off of my and Lady Mai's chamber, you will clean our room, the shower quarters, and the powder room. Your room is expected to be neat aswell. You will also be washing, and cooking. You can cook, can't you? Fire nation food?"

"Yes. I am cultured in cooking the cuisine of here. I have been watching since a young age."

"Very well." I will talk to Malae to see when you are able to move to your new living quarters. I am trusting I will not regret you waterbender. You may also proceed with training as you wish on your free time. Don't say I didn't do anything nice for you."

"Thank you." Katara bows again and exits, Zuko staring at her as she leaves, he just doesn't realize what affect the little waterbender may have on him later,


End file.
